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More on the LA trip...
Thursday, Nov. 23 -- Flo was so patient and accommodating, in the weeks leading up to our journey west and during our time away, that I was intent upon setting aside at least one day for her pleasure.
And that meant just one thing: Disney Land.
It's not that she's one of those types who are daffy for Disney -- she's not at all. Mickey Mouse means next to nothing to her, and she doesn't rush out to catch every Disney product ... er, picture that hits theatres.
But she's fascinated by the history of the Disney parks, by the idea of Walt giving his staff of engineers and creative types free rein to create a whole new world, an amusement like none seen before.
And the more she talked about it, the more interest I became. I'd never attended a Disney park before. Give me the old-style roadside attractions -- your alligator parks, your Dinosaur Lands, your world's largest ... well, world's largest anything at all.
But I always figured that, if I ever did indulge in a Disney park, I'd want to attend the original. And since Flo had visited Disney World but never Disney Land, it was decided we'd spend Thanksgiving there.
I kind of figured the place would be relatively empty on Thanksgiving, but think again. It was plenty crowded, with waits of thirty, forty-five, and even sixty minutes to ride the more popular rides.
But I didn't care. Flo was having a grand time, and that's all that I cared about.
The park was decked out in full holiday regalia, which just added to the fun, and the day turned out to be just about perfect.
I was a little surprised by the fact that so many of the rides are a little on the scary side. Given the wholesome nature of Disney movies and the fact that the park is meant to be such a family-friendly place, I sort of expected everything to be on the bland side.
But, in fact, most of the rides are pretty scary, if not in their twists and turns (like Space Mountain), then in their content -- in the atmosphere, in the characters and settings depicted.
I was also struck by the fact that there are basically two experiences to be had at Disney Land: scary rides and shopping.
Call me naive, but I somehow expected there to be more offerings that were educational or fanciful in nature -- walk-through exhibitions of some sort. But no, one is either being subjected to bone-jarring thrills and chills or you're being hawked Disney goods. It's pretty much one or the other.
But that all sounds a bit curmudgeonly, and that's not really how I felt while enjoying the park. We had a truly grand day, and it was a delight for me to see Flo so thoroughly enjoying herself. We stayed until well after dark, and I would happily have stayed even longer.
We rushed back to LA to try to enjoy a late Thanksgiving dinner with my friend Jim, who tends bar at Marie Callender's on Wilshire, only to find out that they didn't close at their usual time of 10 p.m., but instead at 8 p.m. It was a suprise to us, and to Jim, too, who had no idea they were closing early.
So, since it was already past 9:30, there was no dinner to be had, but we did get to chat with Jim a bit as he closed down the bar.
Desperate for even a tiny taste of the traditional Thanksgiving experience, we headed over to Canter's Deli, which opened in the Los Angeles area in 1931, and has been in its current location on Fairfax since 1953, and each enjoyed a tasty slice of pumpkin with whipped cream and a cup of joe.
Flo liked Canter's so much that she bought a t-shirt.
More to come...
Posted by brett at 11:48 AM | TrackBack